She Passed!!!

Lesley passed her exam to become a certified pharmacy technician today!!!!!
She has worked tirelessly since September to become a tech; she gave up every weekend, most week nights, and a ton of time and energy into learning and studying. I am so proud of her for accomplishing this goal that her employers asked her to reach, and she did it in only six months. Well Done!!!!

COOL WHIP Frosting | Mistreated Cakes Commercial

What do women love? Frosting
What do women hate? Animal Cruelty
This commercial is BRILLIANT!!!

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZAIJAmPn44&feature=youtube_gdata_player


Sent from my iPhone

A Special, Long Awaited Day

So I took/stole this photo from my cousin's Instagram but it was for a good cause (blogging is a good cause, right? Don't answer that!! LOL).
Today, we went to the Logan LDS temple and did my great aunt Shirley's work and sealed the Burke family for time and all eternity. It was amazing and so special to witness an eternal event and be proxy for dear, dear deceased family members.
My Aunt Shirley died a year ago and was preceded in death by my Uncle Gil and cousin Sherry, and Michael who died as a baby. I miss Sherry so much it hurts. The Burke family were always so nice to Lesley and me and we may have been the only kids they actually liked. JK!!
Uncle Gil always had M&Ms to give us, made us big bowls of Snelgrove Canadian Vanilla ice cream with Hershey's chocolate syrup and all the 7-Up we could drink, and he probably got a kick confusing us with his potato pancakes (are they potatoes or pancakes?!).
Shirley let us sleep on the pull out couch in the TV room and I'll never forget when we stayed with them in 5th grade and she did my hair for school; the teacher actually had to re-do for me at recess but I was so proud my aunt had fixed my hair.
Lesley and I were talking about how great Sherry was to us and we figured she was more of our "auntie" than a cousin. She taught us how to color in the lines, watched Sesame Street and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood with us, took us to the Cottonwood Mall where she introduced us to cheese sticks from Hot Dog on a Stick and gave us 10 cents to get swedish berries at ZCMI while she used the phone to call for a ride home. She took us swimming at Jan's and taught us how to use public transportation. She loved to point out how much I looked our mom and Lesley looked like our dad even though we are identical twins. She was like our first adult who was a friend. We would spend hours with Sherry and she never got angry or upset with us when we were probably a lot to handle for someone in a wheelchair. There was nothing Sherry couldn't do.
I am so happy that they are now an eternal family and can have the blessings of the temple if they choose so. My Aunt Sondra (Shirley's baby sister) said something to the effect of "my mother has been waiting a long time for this day" and it hit me how true that is and how much effort has been made on the other side to make this day possible.
I am grateful every day for my family and for the promised blessing that we will be together for all eternity, and that my dad's death is only a temporary separation. It was such a privilege to be in the temple with some of my family members and witness this long awaited, blessed day.

1 really good reason to shave your legs in winter...

Is because you will not have to be embarrassed when you slip on the ice while walking in to the Salt Lake Temple and need to ask an adorable old temple worker if they have a first aid kit then refuse to show her your "owie" and make up a lame excuse like you're not really that hurt anyway but the pain really is bad and you are bleeding down your leggings which leads you to write a run on sentence in a blog post instead. Let the psycho analysis begin!

Saturday Seething, part 63 of a 444 part series

Around mid February is when I start getting tired of Winter. I'm tired of scraping snow and ice off my car. I'm tired of wearing dark colors and choosing my footwear based on how many inches of the white stuff (well really by this point it is a yucky brown) I have to trudge through. I'm tired of being wet and cold.
Now to clarify, I really do enjoy Winter but it seems to drag on and on. I feel the same about Summer come late August.
I love having all four seasons in Utah but my favorites by far are Spring and Fall and they always seem to be crowded by Summer and Winter. I love sweater/light jacket weather. I love wearing a pair of flats without socks. I love the colors of the newly leafing trees contrasted with the brown of the bare branches. I love when the leafs turn colors and blow in the wind.
My favorite months of the year are April, May, September, and October.
I do love Winter and Summer but they are examples of having too much of a good thing. The "blizzard" today has just pushed me over the edge. I'm going to try to stay positive and March is just around the corner. A few more snow storms are left and then it will be early Spring where it snows in the morning and then it all melts by the afternoon.
Stay Warm!!

Sent from my iPhone

Saturday Seething, part 62 of a 444 part series

Not much to seethe about today other than really tired feet and a sore throat.

I'm one week in to my new job and I love it so far (yay!!!).

I thought I did a lot of standing at the gallery but I did have a stool to lean against so my feet aren't as prepared to stand 8-9 hours a day as I thought. The trick is going to be wearing different shoes every day. I wore Lesley's danskos yesterday and they were fine except for the bruises they left on the top of my feet. I wore the danskos when I worked at Eat a Burger without any problems (other than rolling my ankles occasionally). Today I'm wearing Lesley's Simples and they've been good so far.

Now, without further ado...
The Top Five Things I Love About My New Job:
1. I love being downtown at City Creek Center.
2. I don't feel the pressure to "make the sale".
3. I love being cheerful at 7 AM and surprising people :)
4. I love the all you can drink soda (FRESCA!!!)
5. I love feeling a part of a team rather than a lone reed.

Valentines Day 2013

My sister sent me this e-card this morning and I love it, of course.
Today is my "saturday" and I have a super bad sore throat and headache so I got to cuddle with my cats all day. Millie and Fiona are such great sources of love and happiness. They have magical powers to make you feel better no matter what. They are a miracle and blessing in my life. I feel so lucky!!

Saturday Seething, part 61 of a 444 part series

I don't think it's normal to be so nervous in social situations that all you can think about trying not to get your sweat on the guy sitting next you.

Sent from my iPhone

Last Day at Repartee

Tomorrow will be my last day working at the gallery. I'm excited for new opportunities but at the same time heartbroken to leave the work I love. As I have been preparing for this day, I get more and more excited to work for VRx and be working in downtown SLC at City Creek. The future is bright!!

"I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord. Over mountain or plane or sea... I'll be what you want me to be"

Mario Birthday Party

Happy 6th Birthday Aaron!! Your party was SO much fun!!! We all love to dress up :)

Sleepy Kitties

Saturday Seething, part 60 of a 444 part series

If you've already been president for 4 years, why the heck do you need another inauguration celebration?!! Hello Mr. President, we are broke and cannot afford to throw you and your wife another party where you invite all your celebrity friends and wear designer clothes. The American people are too busy trying to find and job and put food on the table for their families, so forgive us if we don't give a crap about your second inauguration. If you had any decency, you would skip the celebration and get back to work.

Sent from my iPhone

LASIK Touch-Up 2013

Dear Reader-
I had a LASIK touch-up this past Monday. I originally had LASIK in August of 2004 and was so happy with the results up until around September of 2012. I couldn't read street signs and in November, I literally got lost looking for my mom at Festival of Trees when she was right in front of me the entire time. Life is scary when you can't see!! So I went for a check-up at the eye doctor in December and my right eye was pretty awful and my left eye was bad too but still within the legal limit to drive without correction. He offered glasses or a LASIK touch-up and I chose the latter (it is a quality of life issue and I can't see myself going back to contacts and glasses anytime soon after flinging 8 years without them).
So my procedure was scheduled for January 14, 2013. You think it would be easier the second time around but you would be thinking wrong. Since I know exactly how it is, I was terrified, nervous, and basically in full-blown panic. My sister suggested I ask the Doc to call in a Xanax for me to take before the surgery, so I did but the pharmacist talked the doctor out of a 2.5 milligram dosage to a .5 milligram. So I took it and hour before my procedure and waited for "the magic" to happen... and waited and waited and waited. Stupid pill never really took effect, other than making me a little drowsy. After the doc tried to lift the previous flap with a tiny scalpel without success while I was in the waiting room, I got in the chair and placed under the laser. I was shaking uncontrollably as we had to wait 10 minutes for the cutting instrument since it hadn't been prepared before hand. I was anxious and alone with my eyes taped lying under a big machine. Good thing I'm not claustrophobic!! Ha ha. Finally it got underway and everything went well. I didn't hemorrhage this time and the whites of my eyes don't have bruises. I went for a follow-up yesterday and I have perfect 20/20 vision!!! Yay!!! My right eye still has occasional blurriness but eye drops sharpen that up right away. My vision will continue to fluctuate for the next few days/weeks.
All in all, it was so very worth it. I'm a little embarrassed by how nervous I was but you can't really control extreme cases of anxiety with deep breathing and logic.
Here's to amazing technology!!! Now bring on the eye drops!!

Saturday Seething, part 59 of a 444 part series

I have been awake since 5:30 AM and only now getting in the shower at 2:20 PM. Why do Saturdays go by so quickly when I'm not working?!!
Les and I drove our big brother to the airport at 6 AM (he is going to Walt Disney World to cheer on my lovely sister-in-law while she runs the WDW Marathon on Sunday. Go V!!!!!) then we went back to bed for an hour or two, and we have been deep cleaning our apartment and doing laundry ever since.
We are finally done but still need to do a grocery run before we go to a hockey game tonight with friends.
Les and I have not had the same day off of work since early October and we were long over due for some team work in tackling our cleaning/organizing issues.

Sent from my iPhone

Fast and Testimony Meeting, but in a YSA Ward gets confused with Group Therapy

First off- why do some people in my YSA ward get testimony meetings confused with group therapy sessions? It makes it humorous but distracting to the purpose of Fast and Testimony meeting.

I'm too much of a self-conscious whimp to get up in Sacrament Meeting and bear my testimony and the feelings of my heart, so I'll share them here (it's my blog and I can do what I want with it- LOL).
I know Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. I know He was the son of God, He lives and loves me. I know everything that happens has a purpose in His plan, even the bad things. I know the Gospel was restored to the Earth through Joseph Smith. I know the Church is true and we have a living prophet who talks with God and runs Christ's church under His direction. I am so grateful for the temple and for my covenants.

Our lesson in Relief Society today was on the talk President Burton gave at the RS General Meeting this past September- the one we got to sing in. The talk was about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and it's power to make things right and show God's love for us. The teacher asked us how the Atonement can make unfair things/situations right. The word "fair" has been thrown around a lot lately, with the Occupy Movement, tax debates, and the past presidential election. I hate the word "fair". "Fair" is a perception and an illusion as life is never fair; someone will always feel like they are treated unfairly. We all have experience with feelings of unfairness (is that a word?), so I think the topic of the Atonement's power to heal unfairness is rather universal.
Sisters started sharing personal experiences of how the Gospel and the Atonement helped right wrongs or hurt, unfair, feelings/situations. I still struggle with feelings of unfairness about my dad's death; totally not fair that he died when I was only a baby and I don't know him. I'm still angry. Why did the Lord take him? How can the Atonement help me overcome these feelings when He was the one who caused it? Then my mind comes to the promises of the temple. My family is eternal and that is only because of the the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We will all be together again because of the Resurrection. Our separation is temporary but our love is eternal.
We are all in the hands of the Lord; he will keep us safe and lead us where we need and want to be. The Atonement is love, it is salvation, it is comfort, it is amazing!!!


Sent from my iPhone

Saturday Seething, part 58 of a 444 part series

I am convinced you can do almost anything as long as you have a comfy place to sit.

First post of 2013

2013 is boring (so far)

Sent from my iPhone

An accounting of 2012

2012... A pretty happy year (well, happier than 2011)

In 2012:
- I went on a Disney Cruise to Mexico
- I went to Disneyland
- I went to Walt Disney World
- I got new carpet in the apartment
- I finally replaced my work purse
- I was called to be a Relief Society teacher (which made me love going to church again)
- I only finished reading one book, regrettably (but I did start several books. I have a recently developed habit of not finishing books I get bored with)
- I watched both the first and second seasons of Star Trek the original series
- I only bought 1 new pair of shoes (I do not know if this is a good or bad thing)

Goals for 2013:
- to be a more positive person, inside and out. I need to keep my opinions and cynicism to myself; negativity is a poison I need to expell out of my life.
- try something new I find on Pintrest at least once a month
- do my visiting teaching


PS: this is my 102 post of 2012. I wrote 101 post in 2011 and 100 posts in 2010. My goal is to post 103 times in 2013

Sent from my iPhone

Happy New Year 2013!!!!

Saturday Seething, part 57 of a 444 part series

This is the last Saturday Seething of 2012!!!
The post Christmas grumpiness is something that always annoys me. Yes, I'm a little bit grumpy most of the time, but it always is difficult when it seems everyone else is grumpy too. We spend 24 days spreading Christmas Cheer and then by the 26th it's all gone. It's odd but very true.

On happier thoughts...

The best way to spend the last Saturday of 2012? Watching Lord of the Rings at the cabin of course!!
After seeing The Hobbit, a lot of things make more sense and the beginning is rather clever in details mentioning what happens in The Hobbit. I'm always a fan of cleverness.

Sent from my iPhone